Dental Emergencies

Dr. Kennedy and his staff are dedicated to caring for your child’s teeth, especially in dental emergencies. One of the first things to do in an emergency is to remain calm. Here are some tips on how to handle the most common dental emergencies.

Broken or Chipped Tooth: If your child has a broken or chipped tooth, rinse dirt from the area with warm water, place a cold compress over their face in the area of the injury and call Dr. Kennedy immediately.

Knocked Out Tooth: If your child has knocked out a permanent tooth, find the tooth and inspect it. If the tooth is sound, try to reinsert the tooth into the socket. Have the child hold it in place by hitting on gauze. If you cannot reinsert the tooth, put it in milk. You may rinse the tooth in warm water, but under no circumstance should you try to scrub the tooth or remove any tissue.

Toothache: Rinse your mouth with warm water to clean it out. Gently use dental floss to ensure that there is no food caught between the teeth. Never put aspirin or any painkiller on the tooth or gum because it may burn the gum tissue. If the pain persists, contact your pediatric dentist.

Bitten Lip, Tongue or Cheek: Apply ice wrapped in a cloth to bruised area. If there is bleeding, apply firm but gentle pressure with a clean gauze or cloth. If bleeding does not stop after 15 minutes, or is not controllable with pressure take your child to a hospital emergency room.

Bleeding After Baby Tooth Falls Out: Fold and pack a clean gauze over the bleeding area. Have your child bite on the gauze with pressure for 15 minutes. This may be repeated once, but if bleeding persists contact Dr. Kennedy.

Cold/Canker Sores: Many children occasionally suffer from “cold” or “canker”. Over-the-counter medications will usually provide relief for these sores. Because some serious diseases may begin as sores, it is important to have a dental evaluation if these sores persist.